The use of polishing compositions for providing a protective coating to painted surfaces is well known for providing luster and protection. Many so called "wax" or polish compositions are known as evidenced by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,645,946, 3,836,371, 4,113,677, 4,247,330 and 4,592,934. The prior art polish compositions have been employed in two distinct ways. The most time honored application of a polish composition to a painted surface has involved application of a solid or liquid polish composition to a painted surface. The polish composition is then permitted to dry whereby an adherent wax-containing film is formed which must be removed by buffing. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,934 discloses such a polish composition and application/removal process. Alternatively, water dispersible polish compositions have been formulated for use in car wash facilities whereby components of the polish composition are provided in an aqueous spray. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,645,946 discloses such an aqueous-based polish composition.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,645, 946 (Lyman) discloses a polish composition which contains a silicone, a cationic surfactant and other ingredients. The inclusion of a quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant is said to promote the adhesion of silicone to the surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,371 (Kokoszka) discloses a polish containing a specific hydroxyl endblocked polydimethylsiloxane with at least one member selected from the group consisting of waxes, solvents, surfactants, thickening agents, abrasives, dyes, odorants, and other ingredients normally used in making polishes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,847,622 (Brandl et al.) discloses a polish composition comprising a wax, a mixture of organopolysiloxanes, a solvent, amine functional silicones, cationic surfactants, perfumes and stabilizers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,677 (Svedas et al.) discloses a hot water applied polish composition comprising an aminofunctional silicone, a dimethyl silicone, a microcrystalline wax, acetic acid, alcohol and other components. The polish composition of U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,677 is employed only as an aqueously dispersed polish, e.g., the type employed at commercial car washes. There is no paste or liquid polish composition for rub-on application to a painted surface. Further, the concentrations of the aminofunctional silicone and microcrystalline wax are not correlated to provide any beneficial removal process, since no dried film will form during use of the substantially aqueous polish composition; i.e., the polish is applied by spraying it on in a large volume of water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,871 (Sutton) discloses a furniture polish composition comprising a cationic surfactant, a solvent, polydimethylsiloxane, wax resin and a non-drying oil. The cationic surfactant may be a quaternary ammonium compound.
Although the aforementioned compositions and processes have been successfully employed for decades, the need for an easier "do-it-yourselfer" polish composition and process for application and removal of polish compositions has continued. Several reasons for this continuing need exist. First, the application of conventional polish compositions typically require the application of the polish composition as a paste or liquid to a painted surface and removal of the dried wax film by difficult buffing. The dried wax film tends to lodge in cracks, crevices and around the numerous indica on automotive surfaces. The net result is a difficult to remove dried film which involves considerable time and effort by the user. Second, since conventional polish compositions must be removed relatively soon after drying to prevent their tendency to tenaciously adhere to the painted surface, the user of conventional polish compositions is constantly applying and buffing so as to avoid letting the polish composition become difficult to remove. Third, the use of polish compositions applied as an aqueous spray do not tend to provide the user with the sense of cleaning and protection afforded by a "rub-on" polish composition. Fourth, such aqueously applied compositions do not tend to have comparable bulk concentrations for the functional components of the wax composition, do not tend to provide residual amounts of such functional components as great as that provided by wax compositions owing to the lower concentrations and shorter period of time such are in contact with the painted surface, and do not impart the cleaning action which results from rubbing a polish on a surface.
The instant process provides a new polish composition and process for its application and removal. The instant polish composition and polishing process is to be distinguished from the prior art by its use of correlated effective amounts of an aminofunctional silicone and wax, and optionally a dimethyl silicone, whereby a polish composition is provided which after application to a painted surface forms a hydrophilic, dried film removable by rinsing the surface with water. In one embodiment after removal of the dried film with water rinsing a protective coating is provided as aminofunctional silicone and wax are retained on the painted surface. The water rinsed, painted surface may then be dried, if desired, to prevent possible water spotting which might result from minerals contained in the rinse water.